This invention relates to a heel counter of a stiff resilient material, for use with footwear such as athletic shoes, which are used, in particular, for medium and long distance running.
Heel counters made of leather, artificial leather or plastic have been used in the art, and such heel counters generally consist of a U-shaped curved wall which surrounds the heel of a shoe, and optionally includes an inwardly projecting edge, referred to as the lasting edge.
The problem with the prior art athletic shoes, and in particular those designed for medium and long distance running, is that the sole in the heel area of the shoe is deeply cushioned such that the heel of a person wearing the shoe, while walking, will sink relatively deep into the sole. Therefore, depending on the design of the lasting edge or the hardness of the heel counter material, injuries to the heel and/or damage to the shoe can occur.
Prior art shoe counters have also been made, as disclosedin U.S. Pat. No. 4,255,877 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,287,675 to Bowerman and Norton, et al., respectively, with a U-shaped curved wall which is formed with a flat base portion which interconnects the legs of the U-shaped wall. The base portion of these heel counters is included to provide lateral support for a basketball type shoe upper or to assist in controlling pronation of the foot when running. Neither of the devices of the above patents includes a contoured base portion to connect the legs of the U-shaped wall of the counter to provide for greater user comfort, and an improved distribution of the pressure as applied by the user's heel as a result of a curved surface, which effectively transmits the pressure to a greater surface area of the outer sole.